Israel calls up 75K reserve soldiers — Prepares for 7 week fight

On the third day of Operation Pillar of Cloud, Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu called a meeting of nine ministers and approved the call up of 75,000 reserve IDF soldiers. The Home Front Command prepares for a 7 week fighting period.

Ynet news reports that approval to call up 75,000 reserve soldiers has been made and thousands of reserve forces are already on their way to southern Israel and convoys of military trucks carrying supplies, ammunition, water and fuel, as well as tanks, armored personnel carriers and jeeps are heading in the direction of Gaza.

On the home front, Ynet reports that although municipalities of ranges of up to 40-75km beyond Gaza have already received emergency instructions, those over 75km from Gaza are now being warned to prepare for rocket attacks, since it is thought that terror organizations in the Gaza Strip are still capable of launching long-range rockets. Local authorities have been instructed to prepare for a seven-week period of combat.

Until now, over 550 missile landings in Israel have been counted, but only 26 of them have ended up in built-up areas.

Ynet reports that Palestinian authorities state that 28 people have been killed in IDF strikes in Gaza since start the start of the operation including 16 civilians and at least 270 people have been injured in the Gaza strip.

US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland is quoted as saying in a press briefing "that the United States supports Israel's right to defend itself and is working to calm the situation."